Mailing device



Dec. 13, 1960 2,963,806

E. L. KING MAILING DEVICE Filed April l5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 una mmnu* l' R- tfo .709, 07. 5 ga/39552567. T 5 M k d INVENTOR.

Dec. 13, 1960 E. L. KING 2,963,806

MAILING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1958 4 sheets-sheet 2 Q ABCDEF coMPANvlNcoRPoRATEo YOUR NEST Eq FDR THE FUTURE,...

u INVENTOR. BY Elmore L. King x1 TTORNEY Dec. 13, 1960 E, L K|NG2,963,806

MAILING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 yu/z Near EGG FUR1HE Fun/RE versc /mn Mlm b i INI/ENTOR. BY Elmore L Klng TTORNEY /l Dec.13, 1960 E, L, KlNG 2,963,806

MAILING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. BY ElmoreL.King

y ATTORNEY MAILING DEVICE Elmore L. King, 301 E. 66th St., New York 21,NY.

Filed Apr. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 728,640

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-65) This invention relates to mailing devices and moreparticularly to such devices in which a letterhead or the like is modiedto provide an ingenious structure appropriate for use in mailpromotions.

Promotional mailings have become a common practice in carrying on manybusinesses. Such mailings provide an inexpensive avenue carrying thebusiness mans message to the public. Commonly promotional mailingsinclude a letter eulogizing the senders product or service, and also areturn mailer addressed to the sender, such as a prepaid, self-addressedpost card. Mailings of this character have, in fact, become so commonthat those who receive them may simply discard them, having too littletime or interest to concern themselves with their contents.

In such a background it becomes abundantly clear that here is a placewhere ingenuity can have large reward, for if one can arrest theattention of the receiver of the promotional mailing he has done much toincrease the efficiency of this form of promotion and advertising. Thisis precisely the primary object of this invention. I have devised anovel promotional mailing structure calculated to arrest the attentionof its receiver. In carrying out this object I modify the constructionof what may be a letterhead, and also a return card, so that these twocomponents interact to permit unusual visual effects. As received by anaddressee, the letterhead and return card are in an assembledinter-engaged condition. Simple Vmeans operable by the addressee areprovided for disengagement, and in the course of disengagement t-heeffect of depth, movement of related symbols, or surprising disclosuremaybe obtained. Moreover, when a letterhead and card are united in themanner taught by my invention, upon removal from an envelope by anaddressee, the component parts are both necessarily presented to theaddressee, for the ycard cannot fall out and be lost.

Another object of this invention is to provide uniquely relatedcomponents to give a novel mailing piece, while the expense of themailing is not appreciably increased over costs where an ordinaryunmodified letterhead and return card are employed. Furthermore, mynovel mailing structure may be handled by the very same mass mailingtechniques now employed with ordinary mailings, so that increased coston this account is not incurred.

How these and many other objects of this invention are to be implementedwill become clear through a consideration of the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. l is an assembled view of a iirst embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section at 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view of the same embodiment as Fig. l with the engageableportions disengaged;

Fig. 4 is an assembled view of a second embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a section at 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of the embodiment seen in Fig. 4 with the engageableportions disengaged;

tes arent if? imprinted yon the secondary sheet, is visible.

wice

Fig. 7 is an assembled view of a third embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a section at 8 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a view of the embodimentseen in Fig. A7 with the engageable portions disengaged;

Fig. l0 is a view of a fourth embodiment of my invention showing anassembled view;

Fig. 11 is a section at 11--11 of Fig. l0;

Fig. 12 is a view of the embodiment of Fig. 10 in which engageableelements have been disengaged;

Fig. 13 is a View of a fifth embodiment of my invention shown in anassembled condition;

Fig. l5 is a view of the tifth embodiment in which the engageableelements have been disengaged.

In all of the drawings numeral 10 indicates a primary sheet in thenature of a letterhead, and 11 is a secondary sheet contemplated to bein the nature of a return post card. Each primary sheet has a window 12therein through which the name and address of the addressee, In turn theentire assembly could be mailed in an envelope of conventionalconstruction, and therefore not shown, having a further window throughwhich the name and address of the addressee would be visible forpurposes of delivery. In the embodiment of Figs. 1-3 the primary sheethas a slit 13 therein. Adjacent this slit is a design 14 imprinted uponthe primary sheet, which design 14 in Fig. 3 is seen to represent a bookwith its first page exposed. The secondary sheet 11 has a ap 15 which iscreated when the secondary sheet is die-cut along the line 16. As seenin Figs. l and 3, the ap 15 is imprinted with a design representing thecover of a book. The flap 15 is situated in the secondary p sheet 11 atsuch a position that the flap may be passed through slit 13 while theremainder of the secondary sheet lies entirely behind the primary sheet10, the secondary sheet when so engaged not being visible. Whenassembled into this condition as represented in Fig. l,

, flap 15 is superposed over the design 14, just registering with suchdesign so that it appears that the representation -of an uncoveredI bookon the primary sheet 10 has a cover. The primary sheet is notched at 17to provide a iinger hold whereby the secondary sheet 11 may be withdrawnin the direction of the arrow seen in Fig. 3 from engagement with theprimary sheet 10. The effect of pulling the secondary sheet in suchdirection is to give the appearance of removing the cover of the book,since Hap 15 is withdrawn through slit 1.3. The secondary sheet 11 maybe scored or perforated along line 18 so that portion 19 of thesecondary sheet 11 in which ap 15 appears may be separated from thebalance 20 of the secondary sheet. The balance 20 may be appropriatelyimprinted on its reverse side so that this part of the secondary sheet11 may serve as a return post card.

In the embodiment seen in Figs. 4-6 the primary sheet 10 is providedwith a slit 24 which is inclinedly disposed in the primary sheet. Adesign 2S is imprinted on the primary sheet, in this case representing aplurality of playing cards face up. It will be seen that the design isimprinted on both sides of the slit 24, such slit appearing at a placein the design where it is least noticeable, that is, it blends in withthe design. The secondary sheet 11 has a Hap 26 therein formed upondiecutting secondary sheet 11 along line 27. Imprinted upon such flap isa representation of the back of a playing card. The secondary sheet 11may be engaged with primary sheet 10 by passing ap 26 through slit 24,to give the condition indicated in Fig. 4, such ilap 26 just registeringwith one ofthe otherwise face up appearing playing cards on primarysheet 10, whereupon it will appear that one of suc'h cards is face down.Primary sheet 10 is notched at 28 to provide a iingerhold whereby thesec ondary sheet 11 may be withdrawn from engagement with the primarysheet, which means that flap 26 will be withdrawn through slit 24 touncover the design imprinted on primary sheet 10. Again the secondarysheet is scored or perforated along line 29 to permit easy separation ofsecondary sheet 11 into two parts, one of which may be appropriatelyimprinted to serve as a return post card.

The embodiment seen in Figs. 7-9, primary sheet 10 has a slit 32 and adesign 33 imprinted thereon adjacent to said slit. The secondary sheethas a flap 34 formed when secondary sheet 11 is die-cut along line 3S,and flap 34 also is die-cut to provide fenestration 36. The primary andsecondary sheets and 11 respectively may be interengaged by passing flap34 through slit 32 whereupon ap 34, which is `also imprinted, will liejust in registry with design 33. in addition, within the whole design 33there is a subsidiary design 37 visible through fenestration 36 withwhich it just registers. Again, the primary sheet is notched at 38 topermit disengagement of secondary sheet 11 from the primary sheet, apull on such secondary sheet resulting in the withdrawal of ap 34through slit 32, to completely reveal design 33, and to permit secondarysheet 11 to provide a return mailing cand When secondary sheet 11 istorn along score or perforation lines 39.

In the embodiment seen in Figs. 10-12 the primary sheet 10 has a slit 43with a design imprinted adjacent thereto, such design representing asquirt of toothpaste from a tube, such design on primary sheet 10 beingindicated by the numeral 44. The secondary sheet 11 has a flap 45 diecut along line 46 in appropriate shape to represent a toothpaste tube,such flap being appropriately imprinted. The primary and secondarysheets may be interengaged in the manner shown in Fig. 10 whereupon acomparatively short portion of lche squirt of tooth paste will appear tohave been emitted from the tooth paste tube, it being clear that theflap 45 is in registry with design 44. The primary sheet is notched at47 to provide a nger hold by means of which secondary sheet 11 may bedisengaged from primary sheet 10 by exertmg a force in the direction ofthe arrow seen in Fig. 12, whereupon the flap 45 will be Withdrawnthrough slit 4-3. As the flap 45 is progressively withdrawn through slit43 from the initial condition of Fig. l0, to the disengaged condition ofFig. 12, more and more of the design 44 will be exposed, to give thevisual effect of increasing emission of tooth paste from the tube.

In the embodiment of Figs. 13-15, a horizontal slit 51 is present inprimary sheet 10 and a design 52 is imprinted on primary sheet 10adjacent to such slit S1. In this case, the design is in the form of aninverted hat. A flap 53 is present in secondary sheet 11, formed by diecutting along line 54. A design 55 complementary to that appearing onthe primary sheet 10 is irnprinted on ap 53. A notch 56 is disposedabove slit 51 in the upper edge of primary sheet 10. The primary andsecondary sheets 10 and lil, respectively, may be interengaged bypassing flap 53 through slit 51 in such manner that ap 53 liespredominantly behind primary sheet 10 when the -two sheets are in theassembled condition as is indicated in Fig. 13. Because of the presenceof notch 56, the secondary sheet may be disengaged from the primarysheet by grasping the secondary sheet and pulling it upwardly in thedirection indicated by the arrow seen in Fig. l5, whereupon flap 53 willbe withdrawn from engagement with slit 51. in this case, the visualetect will be of a rabbit being Withdrawn from a hat. The secondarysheet 11 is perforated or scored along line 57 to permit division of thesecondary sheet 11 into two portions, one of which may serve as a returnpost card.

Where I have above referred to scored or perforated lines in connectionwith the various embodiments above described, it will be understood thatboth such kinds of line as well as equivalent aids in separating a cardor the like into a plurality of parts may be used. The generic termimpressed separation line will be used to embrace such structuralexpedients.

VWhile I have described and illustrated a variety of embodiments of myinvention, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made insuch disclosure, and even though such changes and modifications occur,the ambit of my invention will extend thereto'.

I claim:

1. A mailing device comprising a front and back sheet, said back sheetconstituting a unitary business reply card, a slot in said front sheetadjacent to an edge of said sheet, a flap cut out of said back sheet andbeing secured to said sheet along one side of said flap, said ilaextending through said slot in said front sheet and overlying andengaging said front sheet, the edge of said back sheet adjacent to thehap being substantially hush With the edge of the front sheet when thetwo sheets are fully engaged, and said line of securement of said flapbeing in alignment with said slot2 said back sheet being movable todisengage and separate the two sheets, the measure of movement of saidback sheet bebeing equal to the amount of movement of said flap fromoverlying engagement with said front sheet.

2. A mailing device as defined in claim 1, said slot in said front sheetbeing adjacent a vertical side edge of said sheet.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,176,928 Simmonds Mar. 28, 1916 1,898,308 Miller Feb. 21, 19331,902,121 Gallagher Mar. 21, 1933 2,138,250 Lee NOV. 29, 1938 2,285,807Cloutier .Tune 9, 1942 2,324,777 Holmstrom July 20, 1943 2,708,068Guttman May 10, 1955

